Republican State Senator Abel Maldonado isn’t mincing words: he says that “hyper-partisan” events like Tea Parties and recall rallies being pushed by radio stars like KFI’s John & Ken are a glaring example of a disturbing trend — a rise in entertainment-driven, ratings-driven political gimmicks that don’t provide real solutions for voters.

“It’s crazy. While my state melts and burns, these folks are making money selling ads,” Maldonado told the Chronicle. “All they care about is money in their pocket.”

Maldonado last week launched his efforts with the Reform for Change Committee, to push for Prop. 1F — which would cut off pay for legislators if the state has a budget deficit. He’s also pushing hard for the open primary, which is expected to go before the state voters in 2010 — and he says John & Ken are the partisan poster boys who dramatize why it is needed in California.

But an angered Maldonado, who attended the fundraiser in support of Adams starring Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week, argued that while recalls are “just games to these people,” they cost taxpayers millions and critical resources to boot.

There are things called elections, he said, that allow taxpayers the final say on a legislator’s future.

“It’s crazy. It’s crazy to see what’s happening and to know that the taxpayers are having the foot the bill,” he said. “They like to stir up people and agitate and mess with people’s emotions.”

“These two radio guys are in it for the ratings — not for the people of California,” he said. “I’m sure they live well, and the people of California have to pay.”

Maldonado was equally tough on websites like the FlashReport, run by GOP vice chair Jon Fleischman, which he said is driven by the need to “feel important” rather than real policy concerns.

Fleischman responds: “That is a complete cop-out. The reality is there is lots of money to be made in politics by people who want to go along, get along and deal with the special interest groups. It actually takes political courage to oppose tax increases.”

“Abel has an intregrity problem,” he said. “The reality is Maldonado does not have a defining ideology…and he resents people who do have convictions and heartfelt beliefs.”

Maldonado’s comeback: When it comes to the state budget “what’s their solution?”

In a week in which John and Ken and a host of other radio personalities are pushing Tea Party and no-new-taxes events, Maldonado said gimmicks don’t make for good public policy.

“The Republican Party needs to be working on creating more jobs and improving the economy,” he said. “That’s why need an open primary — to eliminate these hyper-partisans.”

And when the primary gets on the ballot, he predicted, “there will be two kinds of people who hate it: the radio guys and the web guys.”

His parting shot: “The bottom line is they’re trying to be party bosses, to manipulate elected officials.”

“They can’t win elected office. They’re ‘wanna be’ elected officials who can’t make it. People know it — I’m just not afraid to say it.”